Patents by Inventor Gary L. Burkholder

Gary L. Burkholder has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10373731
    Abstract: A system such as a vehicle system may include a window. The window may have glass layers and an interposed polymer layer. Signal paths that contact the polymer layer may be formed within the window. The signal paths may be electrical signal paths formed from wires or patterned conductive traces. The conductive traces may be portions of an infrared-light-blocking layer formed from a conductive film or may be patterned from other conductive thin-film layers. The signal paths may include optical waveguides formed from optical fibers embedded in the polymer or transparent thin-film layers on the glass layers or other substrates. Openings may be formed in the glass layers to allow signal paths to pass to an electrical component. The electrical component may also be wirelessly coupled to the signal paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Wilson, Christopher D. Jones, Gary L. Burkholder, Derek C. Scott, David G. Havskjold, Glen A. Rhodes, Forrest C. Wang, Ryan J. Garrone
  • Patent number: 10141706
    Abstract: Laser diode drivers include switching power supplies situated proximate one or more laser diode arrays so as to provide laser diode drive currents at frequencies of 200 kHz or more. The switching power supplies are generally buck/boost supplies that can provide well regulated outputs even when regulating remote power received from a power supply via a cables having inductances in the hundreds of nH. Multiple laser diode arrays can be driven with independently selectable powers. A drive current for a particular laser array can be controlled so as to reduce voltage drop at voltage control elements such as FETs, leading to increased efficiency, increased product life and decreased sense element failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary L. Burkholder
  • Patent number: 10074954
    Abstract: The present application relates to air-cooled electronic devices. An exemplary apparatus has an enclosure including one or more interior surfaces. The interior surfaces at least partially define a plenum. A support member is situated in the enclosure and defines a position reference plane, which can at least partially define the plenum. The apparatus further includes an air-to-fluid heat exchanger situated in the enclosure adjacent the support member, and one or more device bays configured to receive at least one corresponding electronic device. The device bays can be located adjacent the support member such that the position reference plane defines a boundary between the device bays and the plenum. The device bays, the plenum, and the air-to-fluid heat exchanger are in fluid communication with one another along a flow path defined within the enclosure, and the enclosure restricts an air flow along the flow path from exiting the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Burkholder, Walter R. Sanders
  • Publication number: 20170244212
    Abstract: Laser diode drivers include switching power supplies situated proximate one or more laser diode arrays so as to provide laser diode drive currents at frequencies of 200 kHz or more. The switching power supplies are generally buck/boost supplies that can provide well regulated outputs even when regulating remote power received from a power supply via a cables having inductances in the hundreds of nH. Multiple laser diode arrays can be driven with independently selectable powers. A drive current for a particular laser array can be controlled so as to reduce voltage drop at voltage control elements such as FETs, leading to increased efficiency, increased product life and decreased sense element failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary L. Burkholder
  • Patent number: 9667022
    Abstract: Laser diode drivers include switching power supplies situated proximate one or more laser diode arrays so as to provide laser diode drive currents at frequencies of 200 kHz or more. The switching power supplies are generally buck/boost supplies that can provide well regulated outputs even when regulating remote power received from a power supply via a cables having inductances in the hundreds of nH. Multiple laser diode arrays can be driven with independently selectable powers. A drive current for a particular laser array can be controlled so as to reduce voltage drop at voltage control elements such as FETs, leading to increased efficiency, increased product life and decreased sense element failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary L. Burkholder
  • Patent number: 9478931
    Abstract: Seed pulse generators for fiber amplifier systems include a seed pump controller coupled to a seed pump laser diode. A photodetector is situated to detect seed pulse generation, and is coupled to the seed pump controller so that seed pumping is decreased upon pulse detection. For a laser diode pump source, a pump current can be pulsed to produce a seed pulse and then decreased to a bias level such as a DC bias current that is less than a pump laser threshold current. Single seed pulses can be generated with reduced pulse jitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: nLight Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: Gary L. Burkholder, Michael C. Nelson, Michael Brinker